Talk about eye opening

The world renowned Dr. Benjamin Sun, my surgeon

Dr. Dave Feldman, Director of Heart Failure and Transplantation and the overseer of my care

Me and the boss.

Lisa Carter, one of my LVAD coordinators and a nurse extraordinaire at Abbot Northwestern.

We went to the Minneapolis Heart Institute Gala this past weekend.  This celebration honored the 30 years that MHI has been in existence and all the great work that they do.  It was awe inspiring to be in the room with so many world class and world renowned cardiologists and surgeons.  I was very impressed to learn that MHI is the world's leader in cardiac stem cell research.  It was a great opportunity to speak with some of the greatest minds, clinicians, and surgeons in the cardiac care profession alive today.  The evening was capped off by remarks from former US Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, MD.  Here are a couple of pictures from the event

Many new interesting articles

I wonder what I would think about all of this research if I hadn't run from this disease for the past ten years.  Two interesting articles popped up in my google machine last night that I had to share.  The first one has to do with earlier detection and hopefully reversal or elimination of heart failure.  Thanks to our friends at Johns Hopkins:

Johns Hopkins Protein article

The second article has to do with an advanced treatment protocol.  It is interesting to me because in transplant the Vagus nerve is cut which disrupts the regulation of resting heart rate and the sympathetic nervous response, fight or flight.  In short my heart won't know to speed up or slow down because it is "denervated" or the nerve has been cut:-)  Very cool how tapping into this nerve function offers promise to those not facing transplant like me.  Check it out:

Vagus Nerve therapy Article - Allegheny PA